Bone Flute
by h0kut3n
Summary: A semi-ending to Kimimaro & Tayuya. Please read "The Sound of Hope", to see hints of how the two are paired up, this is a semi-continuation.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters.

**Bone Flute**

A sub-story of _"The Sound Of Hope"_

As the flame of his life blew out at the breath of his own master, the old husk is shed off for the new body to arrive. But as his master exited the room, the wick of the candle lit back up from the still burning embers inside, winding down to a slow burning end. And from the forest of bone, the trees made from his last ounce of power crumbled away, like broken glass, brittle to the touch, and blown away with the wind as dust. All that was left, was a the boy his master picked up as a child. Only now instead of the once feared left-hand of Orochimaru, now a discarded limb.

Night began to fall on the field where Kimimaro lay, the sun was slowly setting away into the night, the last hours of light would be the longest of his dwindling life. He reverted back to human form, the cursed seal burning away as his master disowned him. For the first time in his life, his bones were actually broken & shattered, he couldn't feel anything from the waist and down, his legs felt as if they were just dead weight, his muscles & arms torn shaking with pain, and he lowered his head to the ground awaiting these final agonizing moments of slow death.

On the other side of the collapsed forest, the girl was crushed beneath a log, she had neither the strength or will to move, or make any attempt of getting out. But then she remembered a promise, a promise made by the only person who she trusted. With the last of her chakra she had left, summoned a flute from her arm, and began to play a song. As she tried to blow into it, it was weak at first, and was barely even a whistle. She tried and tried with all her will power to play the song to call him, but she was just too weak. And for the first time in ten years, she cried once more. She never cried since the day he saved her, since the day he found her and rescued her. After meeting the others, she had put on the tough face & attitude, so that the others wouldn't pick on her, so she could be the tough one. But now, here, helpless, alone. All she wanted was just to see him, one last time, to fulfill a promise they made all those years ago. She wanted to play, but couldn't, and all she could do was cry.

Until the suddenly the wind began to blow.

A breath of fresh air, and a wish upon the wind that once served them came back. She felt the warm wind upon her cool flesh, and found the strength to play once more. The wind would carry her song to him, and bring him back to her.

The wind traveled almost two or three miles away through the broken forest to the open fields, and to the broken man who was awaiting his impending doom. He was laying there in agonizing pain, lamenting his past life, and all the deeds he had done in the name of his master. Just as the darkness began to creep up upon him, a light in the dark appeared. A soft soothing song that bid him to come. It was her, she was calling for him, calling for him to come to her. And he remembered, he remembered their promise. But how to get to her, his legs were of no use, he had no chakra left to force himself to stand, and he felt so weak that it was better to die than to try. But that was not an option. He rose his head up from the ground, gritting his teeth, and by pure will power began to crawl his way to her. The excruciating pain of lifting each arm and digging into the ground was unbearable, like a thousand needles stabbing him with every pull, but it didn't matter, all he needed to do was just get to her. Just to see her, to feel her touch upon his face, to have her hands run through his hair, to hold her with his own arms and embrace her just one last time.

As the time passed through it was already darkness, but the song kept playing. Even if no one else could hear it, he could. It was the same song that drove him to her in their first meeting, it was the song that made him fall for her, and step in and save her. It was the same song that eased his pain whenever he was suffering. The same song that gave him light within their world of darkness. Slowly he crawled his hands dirty with soil and blood, the pain became numb to him, but it only meant he was getting closer to her, the song getting stronger. Until finally, he had reached her and found it ironic that they were both sharing the same fate of immobility. He crawled over to her and saw that she was wasn't even playing the flute at all. She had passed out some time ago with flute in hand, but the wing carried her song to him. He had to get this log off of her body, and moved over to her and pushed with what little strength he had. Blood was coursing through his torn arms & hands, it felt like it was impossible. The pool of blood beginning to form around them, it was the first time his blood had ever been spilled, funny being as it would be his last. Grunting and braching himself against the fallen log behind him he continued to push, until finally with the last of his strength tapped out, it slowly rolled away.

At last, he had made it to her, together in these final moments. He moved over to her, and embraced her as best as he could. She regained consciousness and was surprised to feel arms wrapped around her, but even more surprised to see that it was him, and what kind of condition he was in as well. Both of them, hard bitten soldiers who had seen many battles, assassins who've killed men, women, and children, now together share a smile between each other that they hadn't shared in many years.

"You came." Tayuya spoke weakly.

Kimimaro in his still stoic voice simply replied. "I did."

Tayuya moved her body up, so that her head would rest directly next to his. Her left cheek touching his right cheek. The pale moonlight surrounding them, the night sky clear, and the stars were bright.

"Play our song. Just once more." Kimimaro spoke quiet to her.

She lifted her right hand to hold the flute to her mouth, but her other arm wouldn't respond, so in turn, Kimimaro used his left hand to play the notes. He had watched her many times before and knew the pattern. She took a deep breath and played the song. She played the sweet, soothing tune that represented their lives spent together. The song that sounded so elegant, but had powerful meaning to it. From their trouble beginnings, to their first meeting, then all of the days spent serving under Orochimaru, their forbidden love hidden from their master, leading up to their final fights, and now the song began to end, as their lives were coming to a close.

The sun began to rise over the horizon, a beam of light shining down to them. But they were too cold to feel it's warmth, and her song abruptly ended. At that very moment, Kimimaro knew she was gone. No tears came from the lone Kaguya man, all he could do was hold her tighter as best as he could. The end was near, and at least he wouldn't have to go alone.

"It's been so long since we've seen a sunrise. Finally, we can end the nightmare and be free ..."

He took the flute and held it to where both of their chests were centered.

"... together, at last."

With one last thrust, pierced both of their hearts with one blow.

The candle had reached it's end on the wick, and self extinguished.

And thus ended, the ballard of Kimimaro & Tayuya.

The End.


End file.
